Boat anchor



April 27, 1965 E. L. BRADY 3,180,304

BOAT ANCHOR Filed Nov. 27, 1962 INVENTOR. Edward L. Broofy AT TORNE Y53,180,304 Patented Apr. 27, 1965 3,180,304 BUAT ANCHOR Edward L. Brady,9313 Aberdeen Road, Prairie Village, Kane. Filed Nov. 27, 1962, Ser. No.240,245 (Claims. (Cl. fl t-267) This invention relates to anchors usedfor mooring boats or other vessels.

Many anchor designs have heretofore been offered, however, regardless ofthe design chosen one or more of the following disadvantages normallyhave been experienced: (1) the anchor fails to exhibit desired holdingpower per pound of dead weight; (2) the anchor tends to catch or hook onsubmerged rock or coral, sometimes requiring cutting and loss of boththe anchor and attached cable; and (3) upon changing of the wind or tideand resultant vessel drift in a direction different from the originalhooking angle of the anchor in the bottom, the anchor tends to disengagefrom effective holding position permitting further drift untilreengagement of the anchor is effected.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a boatanchor which exhibits extremely high holding power per pound of weight;to provide such an anchor which is very unlikely to become hooked orotherwise caught on submerged rock or coral; to provide such a devicewhich permits the drifting of a vessel in a full circle thereaboutwithout disturbing the engagement with the bottom; to provide such adevice which has a plurality of points or flukes spaced thereabout ingroups of three to provide a tripod leveling effect thereon; and toprovide such an anchor which is simple and inexpensive in construction.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat anchor embodying this inventionin bottom engaged position with portions broken away to illustrate thefluke configuration.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the anchor in bottomdisengaged "(raising or lowering) position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through the anchorparticularly showing cooperating locking portions.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation on a reduced scale illustrating the anchorpivoting about the shank thereof to avoid booking on a submerged rock.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a boat anchor embodying thisinvention. The anchor l oomprises a rigid elongated straight shank v2having a forward end 3 and a rear end 4. The rear end 4 has a loopmember 5 pivotally secured thereto and forming an eye 6 for receiving acable or rope '7 in :a conventional manner. A clevis member '8 is fixedto the end. 3 of the shank 2 and, in the illustrated example, forms anintegral extension of the shank 12.

The clevis member 3 includes shoulders 9 and 10 extending laterally inopposite directions from the shank 2 and ending in protrusions if and 12respectively extending longitudinally of the shank 2 in a directiongenerally toward the eye 6. The protrusions 11 and 12 respectively havesloping outer surfaces 13 and 14, the purpose of which will be discussedhereinafter.

The clevis member 8 terminates longitudinally of the shank Z inlaterally spaced legs 15 and 16 defining an open ended central slot :17therebetween which extends laterally of the shank 2 in the directions ofthe shoulders 9 and it The legs vl5 and :16 have aligned transversebores 1% and 1 9 therethrough, FIG. 2.

The boat anchor 1 includes an anchor member 20 having a disk portion 2d,in the illustrated example in the form of radiating spokes 22 fordecreasing weight. The disk portion 2d has an upper surface 23 and alower surface 24 and a circular periphery 2.5. A hollow cylindricalriser as is, in the illustrated example, integral with the periphery Q5and terminates at the upper end 27 thereof in :a radially inwardlyprojecting circular lip 28 spaced above the upper surface 23. A centralbore 29 extends axially through the disk portion 21 for a purposedescribed below.

A retainer 3th includes a shaft '31 having an enlarged head 32 fixed toone end thereof, the shaft being of slight- 'ly smaller diameter thanthe central bore 29 and axially received therein for rotation of theretainer with respect to the anchor member so. The head 32 slidablybears against the lower surface 24 of the disk portion 21 for preventingupward axial motion of the retainer 30 with respect to the anchor member20 but permitting said rotation. The other end of the shaft '31terminates adjacent the upper surface =23 and has an integral upstandinglog 33 extending above the upper surface The log 33 has parallel sidesurfaces 34. spaced apart a distance slightly smaller than thetransverse width of the slot 1.7. Atransverse bore 35 extends throughthe lug 33 between the side surfaces 34. A pin 36 extends through theleg bores 18 andl9 and the transverse bore 35 for pivotally securing theshank 2 to the anchor member '20. The lug bore 35 is substantiallygreater in transverse size than the diameter of the pin es permittinglongitudinal motion of the shank 2 with respect to the lug '33 in thedirection indicated by the arrows 37. The pin as is retained in positionby means of cotter pins 38 and 39 extending therethrough at oppositeends thereof.

The sloping outer surfaces '13 and 14 on the protrusions 11 and l2 areselectively engageable with the lip 28-for urging the clevis member 8inwardly of the riser 26 during pivoting of the shank 2 about the pin 36toward the lip 28. There is sufiicient clearance between the pin 36 andtransverse bore 35 to allow the protrusion (in the illust-rated exampleprotrusion 11) to pass below the lip 28 at which point a longitudinalpull on the shank 2 will cause the protrusion to move away from the lug33 and engage beneath the lip 28 for preventing reverse pivoting of theshank 2 about the .pin 36 (away from the lip v28). Without suchengagement, the anchor would tend to pivot about fiukes or pointsdescribed hereinafter greatly reducing the holding power of the anchor.It is noted, however, that a force tending to rotate the shank .2 in acircular motion about the center of the disk portion '21 will result ina rotating of the retainer 39 without permitting a disengagement of theprotrusion il l from beneath the lip 28. in the latter instance, theprotrusion 1:1 will merely slide along the riser Z6 beneath the lip.

A vertically extending sleeve 40, for example of Ms inch wall thickness,has a diameter substantially equal to the riser -26 and has an upperend, in the illustrated example, integral with the periphery 25 of thedisk portion 21. The sleeve 4t) is formed or scalloped at the lower endthereof into two sets of three depending points or flukes designated llthrough 46. For convenience the first set of liukes is designated 44, 45and 46 and the second set 41, 42 and 43. The first set of fiukes dependsvertically a distance below the periphery 25 and the second set dependsvertically below the first set, the members of the respective sets beingrespectively spaced apart in alternating relation equallycircumferentially about the periphery 2.5. If the anchor rests upon arelatively hard bottom surface 47 the anchor will be supported on thethree longer flukes, 41, 42 and 4-3, which produce a tripod levelingeffect and greater digging-in than if all points contacted the surface.If the bottom surface 47 is soft the flukes in the first or longer settend to sink in to a position where the shorter fiukes also engage thebottom producing greater holding power in soft mud or sand while tendingto maintain the lip 28 level. This configuration also tends to permit alonger fluke to fall into a crack or depression 48 for greater holdingpower without unduly upsetting the level position of the anchor.

In operation, the anchor descends as shown in FIG. 2 to the bottom andslack is permitted in the rope 7 to allow the shank 2 to pivot about thepin 36 into contact with the riser '26. As the boat drifts laterally ofthe anchor tension is applied to the shank 2 which is transferredthrough the protrusion 11 to the anchor member 2d. Due to the engagementbetween the protrusion 11 and the lip 28, the flukes tend to remainpointed downwardly and dig in whereupon they exhibit maximum holdingpower rather than causing the anchor member 26 to pivot about the pin 36which would upset the anchor. When it is desired to lift the anchor, anupward pull on the laterally extending shank -2 will producedisengagement between the protrusion :11 and lip 28 permitting theanchor to rise with the ilukes pointed downwardly. If, during pulling ofthe anchor, a protruding rock 48 or the like contacts the anchor member29, it tends merely to produce a pivoting with respect to the shank 2(FIG. 4), rather than hooking therewith which would often result in aloss of both the anchor and a large portion of the rope in order to freethe vessel. When the anchor is on the bottom and the protrusion isengaged beneath the lip 28, the vessel is free to drift in :a completecircle about the anchor without interfering with the maximum holdingposition of the flukes.

It is to be understood that while one form of this invention has beenillustrated and described it is not to be limited to the specific formor arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar assuch limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. -A bottom resting boat anchor comp-rising:

(a) a shank having a line receiving member at one end thereof andsecuring means at the other end thereof, said shank including a shoulderintermediate said shank and extending laterally therefrom,

(b) an anchor member including a substantially horizontal disk portionwith a circular periphery, a r ser secured to said periphery andterminating in a radially inwardly projecting circular lip spaced abovesaid disk portion, a retainer rotatably supported by said disk portionfor rotation about a substantially vertical axis and located centrallythereof, said retainer having means loosely pivotally securing same tosaid securing means permitting said shank to pivot about a substantiallyhorizontal axis with respect to said retainer,

-(c) said shoulder being selectively slidably engageable under said lipfor selectively preventing pivoting of said shank about said retaineraway from said lip but permitting circular sliding beneath said lip, and

(d) bottom engaging means depending from said anchor member a distancebelow said periphery, said last named means being adapted to engage thebottom while supporting said lip generally level,

(e) whereby said boat anchor permits vessel drifting 360 about saidanchor while retaining holding power.

2. The anchor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom engaging meanscomprises:

(a) a vertically extending sleeve having a diameter substantially equalto said riser and having an upper end secured to said periphery, saidsleeve being formed into circumferentially spaced downwardly pointedflukes.

3. In a boat anchor,

(a) a body, a circular lip on said body,

(12) a shank, universal joint means pivotal'ly securing said shank tosaid body centrally of said lip for simultaneous pivoting about twoaxes, and

(0) means on said shank for selectively slidably engaging said lip topermit pivoting of said shank about one axis but prevent pivoting aboutthe other axis.

4. A bottom resting boat anchor comprising:

(0.) a shank having a line receiving member at one end thereof andsecuring means at the other end thereof, said shank including a shoulderintermediate said shank and extending laterally therefrom,

(b) an anchor member including a disc portion with a circular periphery,a riser secured to said periphery and terminating in a radially inwardlyprojecting circular lip spaced above said disc portion, a retainerrotatably supported by said disc portion and located centrally thereof,said retainer being loosely pivotally secured to said securing means,

(c) said shoulder being selectively slidably engageable under said lipfor selectively preventing pivoting of said shank about said retaineraway from said lip but perm tting circular sliding beneath said lip,

(d) bottom engaging means depending from said anchor member a distancebelow said periphery, said last named means being adapted to engage thebottom while supporting said lip generally level, whereby said boatanchor permits vessel drifting 360 degrees while retaining holdingpower,

(e) said securing means comprising a clevis member having laterallyspaced terminating legs defining an openended central slot therebetweenextending laterally of said shank, said legs having aligned transversebores therethrough,

(f) said anchor member having means forming a central bore extendingaxially through said disk portion, said retainer having shaft and anenlarged head fixed to one end. of said shaft, said shaft being ofslightly smaller diameter than said central bore and axially received insaid central bore for rotation of said retainer with respect to saidanchor member, said head slidably bearing against the lower surface ofsaid disk portion preventing upward axial motion of said retainer withrespect to said anchor member but permitting said rotation,

(g) the other end of said retainer shaft terminating adjacent the uppersurface of said disk portion and having an upstanding lug extendingabove the disk portion upper surface, said lug having parallel sidesurfaces spaced apart a distance slightly smaller than the width of saidslot, a transverse bore extending between said side surfaces,

(/2) said lug being received in said slot and a pin extending throughsaid leg bores and lug bore for pivotally securing said shank to saidanchor member, said lug bore being greater in transverse size than thediameter of said pin permitting longitudinal motion of said shank withrespect to said lug.

5. A bottom resting boat anchor comprising:

(a) a shank having a line receiving member at one end thereof andsecuring means at the other end thereof, said shank including shouldermeans intermediate said shank,

(b) an anchor member including a disk portion with a circular periphery,a riser secured to said periphery and terminating in a radially inwardlyprojecting circular lip spaced above said disk portion, a retainerrotatably supported by said disk portion and located centrally thereof,said retainer being loosely pivotally secured to said securing means,

(c) said shoulder means comprising a pair of shoulders extendinglaterally in opposite directions from said shank and ending inprotrusions extending longitudinally on said shank toward said receivinmember, said protrusions having sloping outer surfaces,

(d) said protrusion outer surfaces being selectively engageable withsaid lip for urging said shank inwardly of said lip during pivoting ofsaid shank toward said lip,

said protrusions being selectively engageable under said lip forselectively preventing pivoting of said shank away from said lip duringaxial pull on said shank laterally of said anchor member but permittingei'rcul'ar sliding between said lip,

-(e) Ibottom engaging rneans depending from said anchor meun ber .adistance |b61O-W said periphery, said last named means being adapted toengage the bottom While supporting said lip generally level, and

whereby said iboat anchor permits vessel drifting 360 degrees about saidanchor lWhilB retaining holding power.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,305,507 6/19Froger 114-206 5 3,074,082 1/63 Griebe 114-230 X FOREIGN PATENTS 85,0 14v1 2/3 5 Sweden.

1119;348 10/ 18 Great Britain.

EERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

3. IN A BOAT ANCHOR, (A) A BODY, A CIRCULAR LIP ON SAID BODY, (B) ASHANK, UNIVERSAL JOINT MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID SHANK TO SAID BODYCENTRALLY OF SAID LIP FOR SIMULTANEOUS PIVOTING ABOUT TWO AXES, AND (C)MEANS ON SAID SHANK FOR SELECTIVELY SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID LIP TO PERMITPIVOTING OF SAID SHANK ABOUT ONE AXIS BUT PREVENT PIVOTING ABOUT THEOTHER AXIS.